5 Popular Myths About Beer That Just Aren’t True

I'm sure you've heard some of these common myths about beer. Well, don't always believe what you hear.

The staff at businessinsider.com have come up with list of beer myths you might believe. Things like, "dark beers are always stronger" or that "beer tastes best ice cold", or that IPAs taste better if you let them age a little". Now these theories are very popular, and they sound pretty good, but are they true? Today, we attempt to debunk some of the most common beer myths that we hear all the time.

1

MYTH - If you let beer get hot then cold again, it'll get skunked.

Debunking this one isn't too difficult. It's mostly an issue with terminology. Beers can certainly taste a little bit stale if you let them warm up, but "skunking" is specifically what happens when beer is exposed to light for too long. Nothing to do with temperature.

2

MYTH - Dark beers are stronger.

Debunking this isn't as cut and dry. Some dark beers can be stronger, but not always. The color doesn't actually have much to do with alcohol content. The grains they use to make dark beer are just roasted longer.

3

MYTH - Beer is best if it's ice cold.

There's nothing like an ice cold beer on a hot day, but is there such a thing as a beer that's too cold?

Debunking this was easy. According to certain experts, the perfect temperature is actually somewhere between 40 and 44 degrees for most beers. Any colder than that, and you can't really taste it. Some heavier beers are better at around 55 degrees.

4

MYTH - IPAs taste better if you let them age a little.

Now this seems like it might actually be true, but then again, just because it sounds right, doesn't mean it's a fact.

To debunk this myth, we have to look at all beers. Seems this is only true for certain beers with a really high alcohol content. Everything else tends to taste better fresh.

5

MYTH - Beer always tastes better in a bottle than it does in a can.

Now this one is a toughie. Who remembers the commercial that told us over and over that "the good taste of beer comes in a bottle"? Seems pretty logical, doesn't it?

Debunking this myth has to do with what you can see and what you can't see. Beer actually stays fresher in cans, because they protect it from light and oxygen better than bottles do.

So, I may have burst a few bubbles with this list, but for the good of all beer drinkers, it had to be done. Look, there is a code of honesty that beer lovers share, and I would never break that trust.

If you disagree with any myths on this list, you can do a beer fact-check at our Brews and BBQ Festival coming up July 22 at the Ives Concert Park in Danbury. Plus, find out how you can get your first beer free if you get tickets in advance: